Linking problems with Firefox??

June 10, 2008 4:12 PM

Why doesn't Firefox open links that I click? I've noticed over the last several days that when I click on some links the status bar will start going through the motions to connect, but then it will stop dead (it actually says "Stopped" as if I had pushed the stop button before the page had a chance to load). Nothing really happens after that, its as if the click command was lost in transit.

I found that a work-around to this problem has been to Control-click the link (i.e. the command to open the link in a new tab). This always opens the offending link.

I've noticed this phenomenon especially in Facebook, but I've seen it happen on several sites, so I haven't noticed an over-arching pattern.

I know in the scheme of things this is a minor problem, but its pretty annoying in my day-to-day web browsing, and I would like to get it fixed. What could be causing this to happen?

In case it matters, I'm on a MacBook with Firefox 2.

posted by i less than three nsima to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Firefox 2 is painfully unstable, especially since the developers have started focusing on FF3 ages ago. I notice similar bizarre problems, but they usually go away if you kill Firefox and restart it.

I'd recommend installing the Release Candidate 2 for FF3, since it is rock solid compared to FF2.

You can find it here
posted by TheyCallItPeace at 4:35 PM on June 10, 2008

It happens to me too on a similar setup (OS 10.3.9 though). It happens after I've visited a script-happy website. Force-quit Firefox and you're back to normal.
posted by loiseau at 4:37 PM on June 10, 2008

I don't think it's a FireFox thing. Check your connection speed. I just had my cable and modem replaced, and a splitter removed. Big difference.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:04 AM on June 21, 2008